The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-06-23
ORANGE BOX.SHOOKS.
Description OF Barlow A. Co.'S. Mill
at Georgetown.

The Bangor (Me) Industrial Journal,
of last week, contains the following ref
erence of an industry located at George
town. written by its editor who has
been travelling in Florida:
In my correspondence descriptive Of
the 81. Johns River, have already made
aIlusion to Lake George This magnih-
cent sheet of water Is nearly twenty
miles in length and from ten 10 twelve
miles wide. The st. Johns River enters
Lake George near Nolusia and after
traversing its entire length departs not
far from Georgetown. Near the outlet
of the lake are two islands uamed Dray-
ton and Hog. The former is several
miles in length and has many attractive
homes thereon. On the easterly shore
of Lake George and directly opposite
Dray .on Island Is Georgetown.
This place enjoys IA very attrac-
tive location and with good hotel
facilities would unquestionably become
favorite resort with tourists during the
winter months. Georgetown is forty
miles south of Palatka, and IL brought
into daily communication with that city
by the steamer Georgia. The facilities
for boating here are excellent, and ID IN
an admirable center from which 20 make
delightful excursions. Within easy reach
are many Interesting points ON Lake
George and Little Lake George. And IL
Is not very long trip up the lake to the
narrows Of the Upper s., Johns or down
the river 10 Welaka and the mouth of
the Ocklawaha River.
Among the winter residents in George
town Is Capt. >. II. Barbour, the well
known steamboat commander ON the
Penobscot. Some time since the captain
purchased land here on which was AN
orange grove and early during the past
winter built thereon cottage of at
tractive design. The captain and his
family came down last fall In his steam
er, Silver Star, and have occupied their
new cottage since its completion. The
captain il one of those individuals who
cannot keep idle, and although he pro-
posed originally taking matters easy
while at the South, the winter was not
very far advanced before he had pur-
chased an orange box-shook mill located
at Georgetown. The purchase was
contaminated late in January, and
operations have since been vigorously
prosecuted by the new management.
The business is conducted in the firm
name of y. II. Barbour & Co., the part
nership including the captain, his both
er-in-law, Elisha Higgins, and oldest son,
George III. Barbour. The mill equip
ment includes an engine, boiler, box ma
chi1e. ocular saw, planer, band saw
and peeler White ash, cypress and hard
pune are u-sh III tff IlfuuiH'iuff bi tft
shocks. The sides and ends are cut from
the circumference Of the log the same as
in Maine. The peelng machine came
originally from Maine having been taken
10 Florida by the former proprietor Of
the mill, X. Il. IeBrec. The mill has a
weekly capacity OF 4 ,OO0's shocks. Consid-
cradle long lumber IL also sawn. Florida
has great timber resources and the
lumber seen here is much Of
IL very fine. The logs used at
this mill come principally from
the Ockiawaha River and are towed up
the st. Johns "A dozen miles or more to
Georgetown by Capt Barbour's steam
launch, Susie May. This craft was ta-
ken To Florida IL u fall on the schooner
Hattie III. Barbour. During the winter
the Susie MAY has been kept busy tow
s1g rafts and carrying small excursion
parties. Elisha Higgins with bis family
remains at Georgetown throughout the
summer and will have charge OF the
mill. Under the new management
yery satisfactory BUSINESS has been done
and the prospect is excellent for good re-
suits in the future. Florida's orange
crop is annually expanding, and
steadily increasing demand for box-
shocks may be expected for years 10
come.